The Role of Naval Impressment in the American Revolution
Maritime workers who were basically kidnapped into the British Royal Navy were a key force in the War of Independence.
The Propaganda of World War II Comic Books
A government-funded group called the Writers' War Board got writers and illustrators to portray the United States positively—and its enemies as evil.
Fixing the Aqueduct from Hell
The Roman engineer Nonius Datus thought the project was in good shape when he left Saldae. He would return.
The World War II Escape Route from France to Martinique
After the fall of France to the Nazis in 1940, some refugees tried to make it out through the Caribbean.
The Sorry History of Car Design for Women
A landscape architect of the 1950s predicted that lady drivers would want pastel-colored pavement on the interstate.
Gay Bars and Gay Rights
One of the flash points in the LGBTQ+ movement was liquor licenses, which were the subject of important legal cases.
Slave Collars in Ancient Rome
The objects purported to speak for the wearer: "Hold me! I have run away."
The Charities That Gave Flowers to the Poor
Presenting impoverished city dwellers with a fresh bouquet might seem condescending. On the other hand, flowers are awesome.
The Summer of Love Wasn’t All Peace and Hippies
Articles in the underground press capture what's missing from our romanticized memory of that fateful season.
Smoking Banana Peels to Get High Was Briefly a Thing
But it didn't work. The rumor, spread by the underground press in 1967, probably led to many disappointed hippies.